Personal flotation device with adjustment cable system and method for tightening same on a person

ABSTRACT

A personal flotation device including a flotation portion configured to be fitted onto a person and an adjustment cable system including a spool and at least one cable carried on the spool and connected to the flotation portion such that turning the spool tightens the flotation portion on the person.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. nonprovisional patent application relates to, claims the benefit of the filing date of, and otherwise claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/738,268, filed in the United States Patent & Trademark Office on Nov. 18, 2005.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal flotation device according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A personal flotation device (“PFD”) according to an embodiment of the invention is shown broadly at reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1. The PFD 10 comprises a flotation portion 11 configured to be fitted onto a person. The flotation portion 11 is formed of canvas and/or mesh covering a buoyant material, as known by those of ordinary skill in the art. The flotation portion 11 includes a front torso subportion 12, a shoulder subportion 13, a waist subportion 14, and a rear torso subportion (not shown). The front torso subportion 12 of the flotation portion 11 of the PFD 10 is provided with a flap 15, which in turn is provided with closure straps 20. In the drawings the flap 15 is shown in a substantially fully opened position.

The PFD 10 further comprises an adjustment cable system 21. The adjustment cable system 21 includes two cables 22 each comprising a proximal end (not shown) and a distal end 28; a plurality of cable guides 23; two bumpers 26; a termination ferrule 27; and cable tightening means such as a spool, reel, turnbuckle, or other manually adjusted mechanism, or a plurality of such mechanisms, that includes a ratchet or other tension-retaining hardware for maintaining the cables 22 in the desired tightened position.

The cable tightening means shown in FIG. 1 is a spool 24 comprising an internal ratchet mechanism (not shown). The spool 24 includes a base 25, a closed arbor 30, and a knob 31. The internal ratchet mechanism of the spool 24 may be disengaged by pulling the knob 31 outward and re-engaged by pushing the knob 31 inward. The base 25 of the spool 24 is secured to the front torso subportion 12 of the flotation portion 11 of the PFD 10 by a spool panel 32. The spool panel 32 is sewn or otherwise attached or mounted onto the front torso subportion 12.

The proximal end of each of the two cables 22 is retained within the closed arbor 30 of the spool 24. From the spool 24, each of the two cables 22 extends through the associated cable guides 23 and the associated bumper 26. Each of the cables 22 then terminates at its distal end 28 at the terminal ferrule 27. A lesser or greater number of cable guides and bumpers and/or a shorter or longer cable path could be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention.

The cable guides 23 are forms of rubber and/or plastic sewn or otherwise attached or mounted to the waist subportion 14 of the flotation portion 11 of the PFD 10. Each of the cable guides 23 connects or attaches the cables 22 to the flotation portion 11 of the PFD 10 and defines a channel (not shown) through which the cables 22 may travel substantially freely. The bumpers 26 are tubes of canvas, plastic, rubber, and/or fabric that are secured around the cables 22 to help to ensure that no portion of the cables 22 becomes substantially more rolled into or unrolled out of the spool 24 than other portions of the cables 22, and to help to ensure that the distal ends 28 of the cables 22 are not dislodged from the termination ferrule 27. Although the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises two cables 22, one cable or more than two cables could be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention functions as follows. Before donning the PFD 10, a person using the PFD 10 loosens the adjustment cable system 21. This loosening is accomplished by opening the flap 15, ensuring that the knob 31 of the spool 24 has been pulled outward or otherwise actuated to release or disengage the internal ratchet mechanism of the spool 24, and pulling upon the waist subportion 14 of the flotation portion 11 of the PFD 10 until the flotation portion 11 is able to fit over the head and around the torso of the user. The user may then don the PFD 10. The user then ensures the flap 15 is open, pushes the knob 31 of the spool 24 inward or otherwise actuates the spool 24 to engage the internal ratchet mechanism of the spool 24, and turns the knob 31 or otherwise actuates the spool 24 to tighten the cable 22, which tightens the flotation portion 11 of the PFD 10 around the user. The user may then close the flap 15 to help protect the spool 24 from being damaged or unintentionally turned or pulled outward by activities of the user. The user may remove the PFD 10 after loosening the adjustment cable system 21 as described above.

The particular spool 24 utilized in the illustrated embodiment of the PFD 10 is marketed under the trademark BOA by Boa Technology Inc. of Denver and Steamboat Springs, Colo. (www.boatechnology.com). The internal architecture of the BOA spool is disclosed in United States patents in which Boa Technology Inc. holds an interest, specifically U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,599, 6,202,953, and 6,289,558, which are incorporated herein by reference. The flotation portion 11 utilized in the illustrated embodiment of the PFD 10 is manufactured by or for Astral Buoyancy Company, LLC of Asheville, N.C. (www.astralbuoyancy.com). However, these particular products are named by way of example and not by way of limitation, as other specific components could be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

A personal flotation device with adjustment cable system and method of tightening same on a person are described herein. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the invention is provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation—the invention being defined by the claims. 

1. A personal flotation device, comprising: a flotation portion configured to be fitted onto a person; an adjustment cable system comprising a spool and at least one cable carried on the spool and connected to the flotation portion such that turning the spool tightens the flotation portion on the person.
 2. A personal flotation device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cable consists of two cables.
 3. A personal flotation device, comprising: a flotation portion configured to be fitted onto a person; an adjustment cable system comprising at least one cable and cable tightening means, the least one cable being connected to the cable tightening means and the flotation portion such that actuating the cable tightening means tightens the flotation portion on the person.
 4. A personal flotation device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one cable consists of two cables.
 5. A personal flotation device according to claim 3, wherein the cable tightening means comprises a ratchet.
 6. A method for tightening a personal flotation device on a person, comprising: providing a personal flotation device comprising a flotation portion configured to be fitted onto a person, and an adjustment cable system comprising cable tightening means and at least one cable carried on the cable tightening means and connected to the flotation portion such that actuating the cable tightening means tightens the flotation portion on the person; donning the personal flotation device; actuating the cable tightening means such that the flotation portion of the personal flotation device is tightened on the person.
 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cable consists of two cables.
 8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the cable tightening means comprises a ratchet. 